Data relating to change in locus of control orientation of parents overtime (from pre-birth to 20 years later), participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Yasmin Iles-Caven, University of Bristol; Jean Golding, University of Bristol; Genette Ellis, University of Bristol; Steven Gregory, University of Bristol; Stephen Nowicki Jr., Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-08
• Publisher: Elsevier: Creative Commons Licenses
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2018 The Authors
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2018.07.014
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Data in Brief
• ISSN: 2352-3409
• Volume: 19
• Start Page: 2195
• End Page: 2204
• Grant/Funding Information: The UK Medical Research Council and the Wellcome Trust (Grant ref: 102215/2/13/2) and the University of Bristol currently provide core support for ALSPAC. Analyses of the locus of control data was funded by the John Templeton Foundation (58223).
• Keywords: ALSPAC; Psychology; Change over time; Prenatal parental locus of control; Personality
• Research Categories: Psychology, Developmental; Health Sciences, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Abstract

Locus of control (LOC) measures an individual׳s expectancy regarding their ability to affect what happens to them based on their behavior. Those with an internal LOC (ILOC) believe their own behavior influences what happens to them. Those with an external LOC (ELOC) perceive that what happens to them is beyond their control (i.e. determined by luck, fate, chance or powerful others) [1]. A vast amount of research (mainly cross-sectional) suggests that an ELOC is associated with many adverse personal, social, academic and health outcomes. LOC data were uniquely collected prenatally from over 12,000 pregnant women and their partners enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The LOC measure used was a shortened version of the adult version of the Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External locus of control scale. This was administered to the mothers within self-completion questionnaires at three-time points: during pregnancy, at 6 and at 18 years post-partum. In parallel, self-completion questionnaires containing the same LOC questions were completed by their partners during pregnancy, at 6 and 20 years later. ALSPAC LOC data are unique in that they measured orientation over time and on a much larger sample of respondents than is usual. We describe the scale used, why it was chosen and how individual scores changed over time.